The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1887-09-22

little cry OF. joy, and saw, his model
standing before a bright oil sketch
hung against the wall IN q corner
usually concealed by a heavy tapestry
curtain; and, amid quantity of studio
rubb:s h and sketches brought from
Italy, was the painting that had at
tracted Graziella's attention. She
clapped her hands with pleasure, while
her breath came o and more quick
lily, and her great eyes dilated as though
receiving a reflection from the WHY
ing Italian Sun.
The whole attitude of the girl was
that of ecstasy. ooh, it is that! 1t is
that!" she murmured. ''The laurel
trees, the wild chestnut behind the
hill, where the boys play mora; and,
blessed Maria! the very houses are
there, even the one where I was born!
How beautiful it is! how happy it
makes 1ne to see my country again
ALI, if I could only remain here looking
at it forever!"
The girl had fallen on her knees as
before a Modonna, repeating to her.
SELF
How lovely it is! 1t seems as
though I must be back in Sorrento, and
Salvatore must be coming to meet me!
I was cold a little while ago; now I am
warm. l feel the sun upon the canvas,
which sparkles in the tree tops aud on
the sea. 1t is beautiful, so beautiful"
Graziella was so absorbed in the con.
temptation of the picture and the
memories it called forth that she did
not notice the entrance of Frederick,
who gently approached her, and after
listening with thoughtful face to her
m%onologue, touched her cheek lightly
with a trembling finger and said:
care you praying, little one?"
"Oh, no, signor; I was thinking tina,
these sketches must be worth some.
thing,-at least this one of my own
country
Il had forgotten them. little one,"
he answered..
"This one of Sorrento, signor, is
beautiful; how we'll I know it! II
needs only Salvatore in it to make it
perfect"
Salvatore" he repeated, gazing
down thoughtfully at the flushed, ex.
cited face Of the girl.
"My intended husband, signor; he
lives at the place you have 50 beauti.
fully painted"
"And are you so anxious to see him
again, little onep"
The girl did not answer in words,
but tears welled up to her eyes. and
her lips trembled. The man turned
aside and walked to the dusty window,
and in a moment the girl was by his
side.
"Your soul speaks in that picture,
signor. 1t is lovely--better, far better,
than that" she added, pointing to the
famous ':Nero's Dream"
''You shall see Salvatore, little one,"
said the artist, gazing sadly at the girl;
shut leave me now, for I have no need
of you this morning"
There was yet a day to spare before
the expiration of the time in which his
pictures were to be sent to the exhibit
ton.
When Graziella left the room,
"Nero's Dream" was turned to the
wall and was never finished. Two
weeks later Frederick had the satisfac-
ton of seeing his ''Sorrento" admira-
bly, hung at the academy, where it was
enthusiastically praised, and, what is
better, was sold at an extravagant and
u~nlooked-for price to an enthusiastic
millionaire.
One day, when Graziella was again
posing for our friend, and looking more
pensiVe than usual, Frederick suddenly
surprised her by asking how much mon
ey wa yet lacking to make up the sum
of the coverted five hundred dollars.
"Alas! signor, three hundred dol
lars" was the mournful reply. II shall
not see Salvatore for many q year."
"And are you so anxious to see him
little oneP"
my heart would break, signor,
without that hope. He is my life, my
soul -
The artist sighed. and stared gloom
ingly at the young girl.
"Are you angry with me, signorP'
she asked timidly.
"Angry, little one? No! See my
child, here are three hundred dollars.
Take them; they are honestly yours,
for without you they would never have
been earned. Through you I sold my
Italian sketch, and l give you this to
take you back to Italy and to Salvatore!
One kiss, my child, as a memory, and
then good-by to you forever"
And this is the reason that, ten days
later, the little model bid farewell to
New York. to return to her native land
and to Salvatore, whom perhaps she
has been able to keep awake by relating
to him her wonderful experiences in
the great city beyond the e a.-Misfts